Paeonia caucasica

[David Lowndes]

I have a large, vigorous peony which was sold to me as P.caucasica (now an invalid taxon) and which keys out as P.daurica coriifolia using Hong's book. I have another, smaller, quite different peony sold to me as P.triternata. This also keys out as P.daurica coriifolia. I realise it could be my inexperienced use of the key but it happens every time I try. Anyone have any thoughts?

[Leena]

I am no expert in taxonomy, but many species have been lumped together lately, and actually they may be quite different from each other. I have P.ruprectiana, which is a small brown leaved plant and very different from P.kavachensis, and now they are both P.daurica subsp coriifolia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paeonia_daurica
For my own notes I prefer to keep the old names, then I know what type of plant I mean.

[David Lowndes]

I've done the same thing, even double labelling so that I know what it started as! Hong's key does work though.  I lost the label to a peony I planted 12 years ago. Using the key it cane out as P.arietina. The other day I found my notes from 12 years ago and I had bought it as P mascula arietina so that was reassuring. This caucasica is very puzzling though.